Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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opinion
You Call This Progress, Secretary Kerry?
During an interview Sunday with Meet the Press, Secretary of State John Kerry claimed credit for North Korea being more “quiet” than last year. Kerry, however, misinterprets the regime’s characteristic alternating between provocations and charm offensives as the U.S. having achieved “progress.” When North Korea ratcheted up tensions last year, it was to intimidate the… -
news
Report: White House Ignored Warnings of Border Crisis Until It Was Too Late
The Obama administration knew of the impending crisis on the U.S.–Mexico border as early as 2012 but chose to ignore the warning signs in light of political considerations, sources told The Washington Post in a story published days before President Obama meets with the leaders of three Central American countries. A former senior federal law… -
news
Chris Christie Criticizes White House for ‘Awful’ Response to Border Crisis
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joined the growing chorus of critics blaming the Obama administration for its failure to secure the U.S.–Mexico border. Christie, a potential Republican presidential candidate who toured Iowa last week, said the administration had done an “awful” job handling the current influx of illegal immigrants. He said the United States should take… -
opinion
Let’s Avoid Policies That Encourage Universities to Hike Tuition
Senators Marco Rubio, R-Fla.,and Mark Warner. D-Va., have introduced the Dynamic Repayment Act of 2014. The proposal would establish an income-contingent based repayment system that would require every borrower of a federal student loan to pay 10 percent of his monthly income upon graduation, and would garner those payments through paycheck withholding. Student debt is… -
opinion
How Do We Save Baseball From Extinction?
Let me begin by saying I love baseball. I grew up playing whiffle ball nearly every summer afternoon in a vacant lot in suburban Chicago, and I played seven years of Little League. I regularly ditched high school, dodged the truancy officers, hopped on the El and spent my afternoons in Wrigley Field – this… -
news
Greatest Poverty Eliminator Is a Job, Panel Says
With June bringing the best jobs report since the recession began, one economist says the time is now to eliminate abject poverty in America and abroad. Speaking recently at a panel at The Heritage Foundation on biblical ways to alleviate poverty, Anne Bradley, a co-editor of “For the Least of These: A Biblical Answer to Poverty,” acknowledged there… -
news
What ‘Holly Hobby Lobby’ Has Learned … and Her Next Move
She has endured thousands of vicious, personal attacks on Twitter and other social media, but Holly Fisher – now famously known as "Holly Hobby Lobby" – admits she has a breaking point. “I don’t care if someone calls me fat,” Fisher says in an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal. What makes me sad is to… -
opinion
The Border Crisis Shows Potential Consequences of Amnesty
Last month, with thousands of children streaming across our southern border and thousands more detained in poor conditions, President Barack Obama declared the situation a “humanitarian crisis.” I agree. Yet Obama’s concern would carry more weight if he hadn’t helped bring about the crisis in the first place and if his plans for amnesty weren’t… -
opinion
Throwing Money at Border Crisis Won’t Solve Problems
Want to solve the border crisis? Stop what’s causing it. Simply throwing money at programs to absorb illegal immigrants will not end the humanitarian crisis on our border. In fact, without tackling the root causes, more children will be brought by human traffickers to the U.S. What are the causes? An uptick in violence in… -
opinion
How Unions Tried to Defeat the Little Guys — and Lost
The Service Employees International Union likes to present itself as the champion of the little guy. But officials of SEIU Healthcare — “the fastest-growing union of health care, child care, home care and nursing home workers in the Midwest” — aren’t averse to a little high living. For example, in fiscal 2013, officials of SEIU’s… -
news
Walker: Repeal Common Core
MADISON, Wis. – Joy and jubilation. That was the response late Thursday from opponents of the controversial Common Core State Standards after Gov. Scott Walker announced he wants Wisconsin to do away with the nationalized education template. “Today, I call on the members of the state legislature to pass a bill in early January to repeal Common… -
news
After Asking Employees to Reveal Personal Beliefs, Chase Faces Boycott
Over 4,000 Americans have signed a petition to boycott Chase bank over a company survey that probed employees about their sexual orientation and personal beliefs. The National Organization for Marriage’s campaign, “Void Chase,” urges customers across the globe to take their banking business elsewhere until JPMorgan Chase apologizes and promises “never again to invade the… -
news
Fargo Limits How Much Juice Day-Care Kids Can Drink
FARGO, N.D. — Fargo is cracking down on juice consumption in day cares facilities. Children attending day care in the city may drink no more than six ounces of juice per day, and only pure-juice products are allowed, according to a new ordinance passed by the City Commission at a June 23 meeting, “Juice shall… -
opinion
Millennials: Marriage Doesn’t Matter — Unless It’s My Marriage
Millennials don’t seem to think getting married and having children is very important to society. According to a recent Pew survey, only 29 percent of 18-24-year-olds and just 35 percent of those 25-34 agree that “society is better off if people make marriage and having children a priority.” Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean today’s… -
opinion
Iran’s Deal or No Deal
If they are taking odds in Vegas, bet on not getting a P5+1 deal with Iran over its nuclear program. The sides have an option of extending the talks for six months if they think they are close to an agreement. Government officials in both Washington and Tehran have sent signals that they are going… -
opinion
The Key Question That Must Be Answered About Malaysia Plane Crash
“To what level is Russia, Moscow specifically … complicit in this? Was this a rogue commander of the Russian forces?” -
opinion
Hamas’s Last Stand
USA Today reports that “[t]he Israeli military announced a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip late Thursday after 10 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants.” The Israeli incursion is not likely to lead to expansion of the conflict. More likely, it will be a limited operation targeted on further crippling Hamas. When all… -
opinion
Hong Kong Report Lights Fuse for Future Protests
Hong Kong democracy activists have vowed further disobedience after learning that, despite large protests this summer and a campaign for electoral reform that attracted 800,000 signatures, China will impose its will and deny them democracy. Pro-Beijing officials in the former British colony submitted a report this week to the Chinese People’s Congress supporting selection of… -
news
Conservatives: Stop Bailing Out Banks
Financial stability through government regulation isn’t working. That was the consensus of a panel held by the Cato Institute and Mercatus Center on the four year anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Heritage Foundation analyst Norbert Michel, Troy University professor Thomas Hogan, and Mercatus Center professor Lawrence White all concluded… -
opinion
As Risk of Terror Attack Grows, U.S. Must Maintain Ability to Connect the Dots
Has the United States possibly been rendered blind to an impending terrorist attack? A senior Obama administration counterterrorism official worries that that may be the case. In a thought-provoking article entitled “US Flying Blind To Looming Terror Plots,” writer James Kitfield quotes an unnamed senior Obama administration counterterrorism official. Speaking about the growing threat, in…